No Such Thing
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: ... As A Happy Ending. Hardened by life, Bella is in no mood for fools when she runs into Jasper unexpectedly. Fast forward, and suddenly, Bella has fangs, a mate, and is seriously angry about it.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **AN** \- I'm posting so many half written multi chaps at the moment it's making me feel a little sick! Anyway, for anyone following this or any of the others, there will be an updating schedule posted on my profile in the next few hours.

Happy reading.

 **Warnings** \- Bad Language... you probably don't wanna read this if you're fans of Edward and Alice, not gonna lie... um... Lemons? Maybe. Violence? Definitely. Bella's an angry chic in this one :P

* * *

 **No Such Thing...**

* * *

"Tony, I'm heading out. I'll see you tomorrow," Bella called, shrugging her jacket on.

"Later, B," Tony, her boss and friend, replied cheerfully.

Bella let herself out of the back door, making sure to close it properly before she pulled the collar of her jacket up and moved off, making the familiar walk home. When she'd first begun working nights at the bar, the walk home had filled her with dread and fear, but as time went on and she gained more confidence in herself, it stopped bothering her.

Lighting a cigarette, she inhaled the nicotine, releasing the smoke with a sigh of relief. If only her father could see her now...

Shaking the thought away, Bella quickened her pace. She was tired, and though she knew she wouldn't get much sleep, she was still very much ready for her bed.

"Well, well, well, Isabella Swan," a sneer came from behind her.

Spinning around, she found herself staring into angry red eyes. The eyes belonged to a familiar face, though they weren't the eyes she remembered.

"Jasper. What do you want?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at him. Tempted as she was to blow smoke in his face, she tilted her head to blow it to the side instead.

"You're not frightened."

It wasn't a question, and she rolled her eyes.

"Should I be?"

"You ruined my entire fucking life. I should end you where you stand!" he growled.

"Do it."

He seemed taken aback, his eyes widening slightly.

She snorted. "Do it, Jasper. Make yourself feel better."

The cigarette fell from her fingers as he wrapped his hand around her neck, pressing her against the wall.

"You ruined everything," he snarled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"So you said," she choked out. He squeezed tighter, blocking her airways. As she began to feel lightheaded, he suddenly removed his hand, watching her slide down the wall.

She lifted her hand to massage her neck. If she walked away from this, there would be bruises in the morning. Forcing herself to her feet, she met his eyes once more.

"I never took you as one to play with your food," she muttered coolly. "Emmett, perhaps."

"You really don't care about your life, do you?" he asked, and she noticed his anger seemed to be falling away.

She shrugged.

"Why?"

"Either kill me, or fuck off," she replied, her tone flat.

She didn't owe him anything, and as far as she was concerned, she certainly hadn't ruined his life. The Cullens as a whole had left her broken and empty, and since then, life had only thrown more curveballs her way.

She was just lucky that she'd finally learnt to catch them.

"Bella?"

With a huff, she lit another cigarette and strolled away from him, no longer interested in the conversation. If he wasn't going to kill her, she had no reason to be in his company.

Fucking vampires.

A hand on her arm pulled her back, and she snapped.

"What?"

"Bella, what happened to you?"

"None of your fucking business. If you're so certain I ruined your life, Jasper, then end mine. I don't care. If you think me dying will solve all your problems, then please, get on with it. Otherwise, leave me the fuck alone."

He seemed at a loss, and this time when she turned to walk away, he let her go. She was relatively sure he was following her, but she couldn't bring herself to care. As long as he didn't try and talk to her, or heavens forbid, try and _help_ her, she could deal.

The Cullens had ruined her life once before. There was no way was she letting them do it again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay... so I said there would be a schedule. I changed my mind. Updates will come as I have them written :) Enjoy :P**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

The bar was packed, and his throat burned, but he pushed it aside. He'd fed the night before, the rage he'd been feeling after his confrontation with Bella actually helping to assuage the guilt he usually felt when he fed.

He didn't know why he'd returned to the bar that she worked in. She'd told him in no uncertain terms that she wasn't interested in catching up, and in all honesty, he hadn't had the notion to either. When he'd caught her scent, he'd only really thought about her dying at his hands.

After all, she was the catalyst to his entire life being turned upside down.

He knew, or at least, the logical part of him knew, that he was being unfair. Bella hadn't actually done anything wrong, except fall in love with the wrong person. Hell, the wrong species. Edward had been the one to fetch her into their lives, he'd been the one to integrate her so thoroughly into the family when he'd never had any intention of turning her.

Alice had been the one to screw Jasper over at her eighteenth birthday party. His ex-wife had known exactly what was going to happen, and ultimately, it was her that had torn the family apart.

His eyes alighting on the brunette behind the bar, Jasper moved through the crowds and perched himself on a barstool. It didn't take long for her to see him.

She rolled her eyes but ignored his presence otherwise. For some reason, that both irritated and amused him. He wasn't sure why he wanted her attention, be it good or bad. He also wasn't sure why her ignoring him hurt him.

One of the other bar staff approached him, and he ordered a whisky; neat. While vampires couldn't ingest human food, they could still drink alcohol, though it took a rather large amount of it to have any effect.

As the bar slowly emptied, Jasper waited patiently for Bella to approach him. It was a genuine surprise when she didn't, choosing instead to bid farewell to the remaining staff and leave from the back as she did the night before.

Downing his drink, Jasper left the bar, walking around to meet her.

"What do you want?" she asked flatly when he appeared in front of her. She was smoking again, and Jasper was uncomfortably aware that he really shouldn't find that sexy.

"To talk," he replied simply. "Just talk. I won't hurt you, Bella. I'm sorry for my behaviour last night."

"No offence meant, but I'm pretty sure I'd rather you kill me," she murmured blandly. "I have nothing to say to you, and you have nothing I want to hear."

"How do you know that when you don't know what I want to say?" he asked, falling into step beside her.

"Because I'm not interested, Jasper. Jesus, what is it with supernatural creatures that can't take a fucking hint?"

"Will you please tell me what happened to you after we left. You're… so different. My knowledge of humans is that a change like yours happens very rarely and…"

"And what?"

"I want to know what happened to you."

"Why?"

"I don't know," he admitted, running a hand through his hair.

That was the truth. He had no idea why he was so interested in her. He had no clue what was drawing him to her, but he knew for certain that he couldn't leave without finding out what damage was caused to her after the family left Forks.

She snorted. "At least you're honest."

"Please, Bella."

He hated begging. He wasn't sure why he was demeaning himself so much for this girl. It wasn't like she was anything to him. She was just a girl he used to know, and even that was a stretch. He'd never been allowed near her, aside from those few days in Phoenix.

She sighed. When he felt her acceptance, he could barely hold in his happiness, and it was a struggle to stop the smirk taking over his lips.

"Meet me at Starbucks at nine am," she grumbled. "I'll need coffee if we're dredging up shit best left buried."

He nodded. He wanted to push for her to talk to him now, but recognised that that would probably do more harm than good.

He could wait a few more hours.

After all, he had all the time in the world.

Bella was waiting for him when he arrived, her finger running around the edge of her cup. He took a second to take her in, unable to deny that she looked stunning. Her hair was tousled, as though she'd literally just crawled out of bed, and she was wearing denim jeans a tight tank top, covered by a cropped leather jacket.

"Morning," he murmured when he sat down in the seat closest to her.

She looked up at him and nodded her head. "Morning. I didn't bother ordering for you. Figured it'd be a waste."

He chuckled. "It's fine. Do you want anything else?"

She shook her head. "I'm good. What do you want to know?"

"What happened when the family left Forks."

"I fell apart and turned into a zombie," she said dryly, a wry smile on her face. "Edward completely and utterly destroyed me when he left me in the forest."

"The forest?" Jasper replied, frowning.

She nodded but didn't elaborate.

"Clearly you got over that though," he murmured. "You don't seem zombie-ish to me."

She snorted. "I just worked out that being abandoned by someone who didn't love me wasn't the worst thing that could happen in life."

"What else happened?"

She sighed. "Look, I'm not in the mood for a full debrief on the tragedy that is my life. I'll give you the spark notes. Edward left me in the forest after telling me that I wasn't worthy of him. I turned into a zombie. I began spending time on the Res, and found out that my friends turned into giant puppies on a fairly regular basis.

"I dated a boy called Paul, who loved me dearly, until he imprinted, that is to say he found his soulmate, elsewhere. We stayed friends, things were fine. Then Victoria came back and when she found me, and realised that I would quite happily sacrifice my life to her if it meant she left Forks and La Push well alone, she decided to kill not only Charlie, but my mom and Phil as well.

"The wolves got her eventually, but by then, I didn't really give a fuck. I'm all alone in the world, and it all stems back to Edward fucking Cullen. Suffice to say that your family is at the very bottom of the list of people I want to see."

Jasper sat back in his seat, unsure what to say. "Bella… I… I'm so…"

"Save your apologies and pity for someone who wants them, Jasper. Whoever sent you to find me, tell them to leave me the hell alone. I don't want any part of your family, and I'm not interested in any kind of contact with any of you."

"Nobody sent me," he murmured. "I'm… not a Cullen anymore. Hell, none of the Cullens are together anymore as far as I'm aware. They split up a year or so after we left Forks."

Bella shrugged.

Feeling for her emotions, Jasper wasn't entirely surprised to find that she was feeling a myriad of emotions, mostly negative.

She drained what was left of her coffee and looked up to meet his eyes.

"I won't lie and say it was good to see you, Jasper. I hope you find peace, and I hope you find happiness."

She stood up, and with a final nod, she walked out of the coffee shop without looking back. Still somewhat shocked, Jasper forced himself to his feet and followed her out. He could still see her as she walked away, the subtle shake of her hips, her hair swishing slightly in the breeze.

He didn't understand why it hurt so much to watch her walk away. It felt like a hole was being carved in his chest, leaving him empty except for the pain. He watched her until she turned the corner, and, resisting the urge to follow her, he walked away in the opposite direction, the pain worsening with every step he took.

* * *

 **Three months Later**

* * *

Bella walked the familiar path home from the bar, her collar pulled up around her neck, a cigarette in her hand, her heels click-clacking against the pavement. She was almost home when a hand suddenly covered her mouth from behind, as a fist landed painfully in her ribs.

Knocked to the floor, she tried to fight against her assailant to no avail. The blows kept coming and as she surrendered to the blackness of unconscious, she wondered why, after everything she'd already suffered, this was happening to her.

Fading in and out, Bella was vaguely aware of a scuffle happening beside her. Cold hands traced her neck, feeling for a pulse.

"She's not going to make it," a female voice said quietly.

"I'll have to bite her. This complicates things," a male voice replied.

Bella tried to speak, but nothing but a whimper came from her lips.

"Sugar? Can you hear me?" the woman asked. Bella struggled to open her eyes, but she couldn't.

"Le… let… m… me… d… ie."

She forced the words out, even as the darkness beckoned to her once more.

"Sorry, Darlin'. No can do," the male murmured, and she felt the sharpness of his teeth in her neck.

She remembered the burning from when James bit her, but this was infinitely worse, as he moved from her neck to her wrist, then the other.

She didn't want to be a vampire, dammit! As the venom sped through her veins, lighting her on fire from the inside out, she cursed her mystery 'saviours'. Surrendering to the burn, Bella prayed with all her might for the venom to fail.

She didn't want this.

* * *

 **Three days later**

* * *

It ended suddenly. Opening her eyes, she sat up quickly, surprising herself at the speed. As memories flooded her mind and she realised what had happened, she looked around the room.

A man and woman stood at the opposite end, watching her cautiously.

"Why did you do this to me?" she asked quietly. "I asked you to let me die. I don't fucking want this!"

"We couldn't let you die, Isabella," the man replied. "You're our brother's mate, though he doesn't actually know it yet. When we found you, we were just going to talk to you, but that… animal had already attacked you when we arrived."

"Is he dead?"

"Who?"

"The bastard that attacked me. Is he dead?"

"Yes."

"Good. Who is your brother?"

"Jasper Whitlock."

"I don't know anybody by the name of Whitlock."

"You'll know him as Jasper Hale."

Bella shrugged. "I want no part of the Cullens. Jasper is well aware of that. If you've changed me for the sole purpose of being his mate, you might as well tear me apart and light me up, because it isn't happening."

"How are you so controlled?" the woman asked, her head tilting to the side slightly as she studied Bella.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Why ask me? I've never been a vampire before."

They both laughed softly.

"Who are you?" Bella asked, interrupting their amusement.

"Oh, my apologies, fair lady," the man replied, looking sheepish. "I'm Peter Whitlock, and this here is my lovely wife, Charlotte."

"How'd you know I'm Jasper's mate? You see visions like the Pixie?"

Peter snorted. "Don't lump me in with the likes of her, if you please, we're nothing alike. I just know shit occasionally. Jasper… he's not doing so well, and you're the only one who can fix it."

"Sucks to be him then," Bella muttered, but she couldn't deny the flutter of worry she felt for him. "Alright, what's up with him?"

"When a vampire recognises their mate, there's a connection. He made that connection to you when he found you three months ago. After you rejected him, he… well. He's not doing so well, like I already said. He's lifeless. He doesn't feed, doesn't talk, doesn't leave his room. He's like a zombie."

"And you think I can do what for him?"

"Just being around each other would be a good start," Charlotte said quietly, interrupting her husband before he could reply. "Jasper has told us a little of what happened between you and Edward Cullen, Isabella, and can I just tell you that our brother is nothing like that little weasel. If you're his mate, like Pete believes you are, he'll complete you as much as you complete him. There is nothing like the love that mates share."

Bella sighed. "Look, here's the thing. I don't want to be a vampire. Beyond that, I have absolutely no wish for a 'mate.' The idea is repulsive to me, and I'd really rather you'd let me die. I don't have anything to off you, or Jasper for that matter."

"So, what? You're just going to wander for the rest of your existence?"

"Since you've forced me into this life, what else can I do?"

"Come with us," Peter implored. "Come with us and just spend some time with us and Jasper. We'll not try and keep you captive or anything, I swear. If you ever want to leave, I'll even give you the means to live comfortably, but please, Bella. Just… try?"

Bella rubbed her head tiredly. Her throat was burning dully, and her mind was whizzing with a thousand different thoughts. She didn't want this life., but really, what was she going to do with an eternity alone?

"Alright," she murmured after a few minutes. "I'll come with you."

"You could be happy together, you know? If you just give him a chance," Charlotte said quietly.

Bella offered her a small smile. "I've long since learnt that there's no such thing as a happy ever after. I don't believe in fairy tales anymore."


	3. Chapter 3

**I think this might be my favourite of my Twilight M'C's atm. I love a Bella with attitude! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :P**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

They travelled for two days, stopping briefly to feed in a back alley. While she wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to feed on human blood, she found that she wasn't overwhelmed by the need for it the way Edward had always described his thirst, and she knew instinctively that she could trade over to animal blood whenever the mood took her.

Reaching the house, Bella followed Peter and Charlotte in, taking a moment to inspect her surroundings. It was a lovely home, she thought. Rustic, but still modern as far as the appliances went. Not that they had the need for any of them.

"Jasper, get your lazy ass out of bed, we've got company!" Peter shouted, taking off the jacket he'd been wearing and tossing it on the back of a chair.

When Bella heard movement on the stairs, she looked up to find herself once more face to face with Jasper. Her eyebrow rose as she took in the differences. His eyes were black, blackest black, and his face seemed withdrawn. The clothes he had on were familiar, and it took her a moment to realise they were the same ones he'd been wearing when she met him in the coffee shop.

"You look fucking awful," she said, rolling her eyes. "Didja forget how to hunt?"

"Bella?"

"In the flesh," she agreed quietly. "Seriously, go and feed. I'll still be here when you get back."

She wondered briefly why she cared about him being in pain, but dismissed it as her just being a decent human being. Well, being, anyway. Fucking vampires.

"How did this… why are you… Peter?"

"You heard the lady, Major. Go and hunt, she'll be here when you get back and you'll get some answers. Besides, I'm sure if we told you what happened now we'd only have to repeat ourselves once you've fed anyway."

Jasper huffed but nodded, walking past Bella. She noticed he paused to take in her scent, a shudder running through him briefly, before he left.

"You were right, he looks like a zombie," she muttered when he'd gone. Sitting down in one of the armchairs, she balanced her elbows on her knees and held her head in her hands. "This is a fucking nightmare."

"What's a nightmare, Sugar?" Charlotte asked softly, sitting down across from her.

"That I actually care about how he feels," Bella replied. "That I care what you two think. You don't understand, but over the last few years, I've made a fucking profession of ensuring that I don't care about anyone or anything, and I got damn fucking good at it. Now… well, that's all shot to shit, isn't it?"

Charlotte sighed. "I can understand why you'd want to protect yourself, Bella. You should know though… we won't hurt you. We won't abandon you, or sell you out, or anything else that's happened to you. We're not… we're not the Cullens."

Bella glanced up at her, smiling wryly. "I don't even know how to trust anyone anymore. I think I'll go for a walk. D'ya mind?"

"Of course not. You're not a prisoner here, Bella. If you want to stay on the property, we've got scent lines running right around the border, so you'll know when you meet them."

"Alright. Thank you."

Charlotte nodded, offering her a small smile. Bella left through the back door, ambling along at a human pace. She was in no hurry, after all, she had nowhere she had to be. She walked until she came across the border that Charlotte had been talking about, and turned, following it around in a wide circle.

Jasper would likely return soon and would want answers. What could she tell him? Your brother and sister changed me against my will when I was attacked by a disgusting excuse for a human, and now I'm here to try and ease your suffering even though I want absolutely nothing to do with you.

Oh yeah, that'd go down brilliantly.

The strange thing was that she was worried about him. Something about the dead look in his eyes reminded her of herself, and it wasn't a feeling she would wish on anybody… well, perhaps Edward. If she was honest with herself, she did care, at least enough not to want him to be in pain.

Wasn't that a hard pill to swallow for someone who'd made it her business not to let anyone close enough to her to give a shit.

Before she'd even realised it, she was back at the house. She sat down on the steps of the porch, watching the sky darken around her. She had to give these Vamps something, they sure knew how to choose property. For miles around on every side it was private, giving them plenty of space to enjoy the sun if they so chose to.

"Bella?"

She turned to look at Peter, patting the step beside her when he seemed unsure whether to approach her.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he joined her.

She shrugged. "As okay as I'm likely to be, I suppose."

He nodded. "I'm sorry I turned you against your will. It's not something I would have done under normal circumstances… I panicked. If you'd died… Jasper is my brother. I couldn't let him go through life the way he was without at least trying to save him."

"I don't blame you for wanting to help him," she admitted. "I just… this isn't something I wouldn't have chosen, and the idea of spending an eternity like this… it's overwhelming and unappealing. But I don't blame you, and I don't want you to feel bad about it. Jesus Christ, I'm getting soft."

He laughed as she shook her head in disgust.

"I don't think anyone could accuse you of being soft, Darlin'. For what it's worth, I think you'll fit in well with us."

Bella nodded. "Is he back?"

"Currently pulling his hair out in the living room," Peter confirmed.

Bella snorted. "Can't have that. Let's go see him."

* * *

"Bella."

Her name was a gasp on his lips, and she could see the wonder and curiosity in his eyes. Pulling Peter into the room with her, Bella sat down. When she didn't speak, Pete raised his eyebrow at her.

"Nope, this is your story, dude. I was burning up for most of it."

He shook his head at her, clearly amused. Charlotte chuckled as she sat on the arm of Pete's chair.

"I can see you're going to be demanding," Peter huffed. "Fine. I had a feeling that we needed to find your mate to sort you out. That feeling let me to Bella, who was being beat up by a disgusting excuse for a heroine addict when we arrived. I bit Bella, even though she asked me to let her die, and Char disposed of her attacker. Bella woke up, pissed that we'd changed her and voila, here we're at."

Bella chuckled. "That was quite the description," she commented.

"Sort me out? Mate? What the hell are you talking about? I'm fucking fine!" Jasper growled, his eyes on Peter.

"If that was you at your best, I'd hate to see you at your worst," Bella muttered, rolling her eyes when Jasper turned his glare on her.

"Why are you here if you don't want to be?"

"Why don't you give your attitude to someone who fucking deserves it, asshole?" she shot back. "I'm here because they said I could help you get off your ass. Since you're slightly more animated now than you were when I got here, I'd say that's a fucking win, wouldn't you?"

Peter and Charlotte both coughed to hide their laughter while Jasper continued to glare at her.

"Why are you here?" he asked again.

"Do supernatural creatures suffer from disabilities?" Bella asked, looking at Peter curiously.

"Not that I know of, unless they get a limb torn off or something. Why?"

He looked completely confused by the question.

"Because I'm trying to decide if he's deaf, brain dead or just fucking stupid."

"Isabella, answer my question. Why are you here?" Jasper growled, his eyes darkening with his anger.

"I already did, dipshit," she replied. "I came here because they thought I could help you. Now, I'm beginning to wonder why I even bothered. If you don't want me here, Jasper, just say so and I'm gone."

With that she left the room, returning to the porch. Inside, she was raging. Peter joined her after a few minutes.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I didn't expect him to be such an asshole."

They heard a growl from inside, followed by Charlotte's calming voice.

"This is why I don't let myself care," she whispered. "It always ends in disappointment. It was good to meet you, Peter."

She left him sitting there watching her leave as she ran toward the border, pushing her legs as fast as they'd move. In minutes she'd bypassed the scents of Peter and Charlotte and was running through the trees of a forest, dodging and weaving through the large trunks and boulders. She ran and ran and ran until she was sure there was a decent amount of distance between herself and Jasper fucking Whitlock.

Slowing down, she swung up onto a tree branch, quickly scaling the tree until she was sitting comfortably, high up enough that nobody would see her.

Now that she'd left the Whitlocks, she had no idea what she wanted to do. There was nothing for her to do, in all honesty, because she'd cut ties with anyone she still had in the world shortly after leaving Forks.

It crossed her mind to make her way back there, to goad the wolves into ending her life, but she dismissed the idea. She knew it would hurt them to tear her apart, and while she wasn't altogether fussed about herself, she didn't want to hurt them intentionally. There was a small part of her that still cared about the wolves enough to never allow them the knowledge of what had become of her.

Time passed her by as she sat in her tree, marked only by the darkening and lightening of the sky as day transferred itself into night, the cycle never ending. She didn't bother counting, because what was the point?

Time had ceased to mean anything.

She had ceased to mean anything.

* * *

"It's been a month," Peter shouted, his anger getting the best of him. "How can a newborn avoid three seasoned vampires for a fucking month?"

Jasper held his head in his hands. "This is all my fault."

"Damn straight it is," Peter agreed. "Why the hell did you go off at her like that anyway? I don't understand where your anger even came from?"

"I just… she was sitting there, looking all beautiful and tempting and telling me that she didn't want me. I guess I was hurt."

"When did she say she didn't want you?" Charlotte asked, looking confused.

"Pete was the one who said it," Jasper replied. "She didn't want to be turned, even though she knew death was the only other option. She'd rather be dead than be with me. It's not exactly good for the ego, Char."

"Fucking idiot," Peter muttered. "She didn't know she was your mate before I turned her. Trust me, if she didn't wanna be here, she wouldn't have been. S'not like I would've forced her. She said it herself, she was here because we said she could help you."

Jasper shook his head. "I know I was an asshole. None of this is helping to find her."

"We'll have to comb the forest again. When I chased her scent the first time, it seemed to linger on the forest but it was nowhere near the edges. I don't think she left."

"So you think she's just sitting in a tree somewhere?" Charlotte asked, raising her eyebrow.

Peter stared at her for a moment before he grinned, bounding over to kiss her soundly on the lips.

"That's it. And I know which tree she's in. When I followed her scent, I thought she'd followed the river and that's why I lost her, but she didn't. She hopped on up into the tree. You're a genius, baby."

"Can you two do your loved up bit later. Bella's a newborn, and if she'd been sitting in a tree for a month, her thirst has got to be through the fucking roof. Let's go," Jasper said, already hurrying for the door.

* * *

"There you are!"

Bella blinked rapidly, surprised to find herself face to face with a grinning Peter. She frowned.

"What the hell do you want?"

"We've been looking for you for a month. You've no idea how embarrassing it is for seasoned vampires to be outsmarted by a newborn," he told her, still smiling.

"Outsmarted? I have no idea what you're talking about. Why are you here, Peter?"

"Come to fetch you home, of course. We followed after you a little while after you ran, but I thought you'd run into the river. My lovely wife was the one who suggested you might have hopped a tree."

"Why were you looking for me? Jasper made his position quite clear and I try not to make the same mistake twice. Go home, Peter."

"Not without you," he argued. "Jasper is an asshole, but he's sorry. He didn't mean to take his frustrations out on you."

Bella sighed. "Just… leave me alone, Peter."

"Not going to happen. So, you can either come back to the house with me after I take you hunting, or I can carry you back to the house and force feed you. You choose."

She glared at him. "I thought you said you'd never force me to stay with you. Sounds like you're going back on your word too. I really shouldn't be surprised."

He shook his head. "I won't force you to stay. I will follow you relentlessly and make sure that you look after yourself though. Loophole."

She snorted. "Jackass."

"Come on, B. What can it hurt? S'not like you're doing anything important in this tree, is it?"

"B?"

"I'm far too lazy to call you Bella all the time."

She swung her legs over the tree branch and dropped to the floor, straightening her tank top.

"You'll leave me alone after I hunt?"

"Yep, if that's what you want."

"Then let's go."


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't know what happened at the end of this chapter, but I liked it so I kept it. Enjoy :P**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

* * *

"There, I hunted. Are we done?" Bella asked, throwing the body of the druggie she'd just drained into the dumpster Pete opened.

He lit a match and threw it in, before he nodded. "We're done. You're welcome to go sit back in your tree and I'll come find you in two weeks to take you hunting."

She glared at him. "You said you'd leave me alone!"

"Nope, I said I'd follow you and make sure you're taking care of yourself."

"Christ, you're more annoying than an overprotective brother."

"I'm your sire, B. I have a sense of responsibility for you, and it wouldn't sit right for me to just let you waste away in a tree. Come back to the house with me. Char has some clothes for you, and you can take a shower and get the leaves outta your hair."

Bella laughed despite herself. "Jasper better keep his asshole tendencies under lock and key, Pete. I'm not in the mood for his PMS."

"Message received."

He led her to the house at a human jog. The streets were empty, but it wouldn't do to take the chance that they would be seen. As soon as they hit the fields, the two ran at top speed, arriving back at the house within half an hour.

"Bella," Charlotte murmured, sounding oddly relieved.

"You were right, Char. She was sitting in a tree," Pete said as he wrapped his arms around his woman.

"Are you alright, Sugar?" She asked, her eyes taking Bella in carefully.

Bella nodded, shuffling her foot awkwardly against the floor.

"Come on, I've got you some clothes and other bits in the guest room. I'm sure you'll feel better after showering and changing."

Bella nodded again, following behind her as she was led up the stairs. Charlotte showed her to a decent sized bedroom and pointed out the ensuite, telling Bella to take her time and come down when she was ready.

After taking her time in the shower, Bella dressed quickly in jeans and a black tank top, pulling a soft cotton jumper on over the top. She slipped her feet into a pair of black uggs and sat down on the bed.

She didn't know what to do. She knew she could leave again, perhaps go further afield, but what was the point? In the end, they would likely find her, and it would just keep repeating until they got bored of chasing her. After that, she'd be able to sit in a tree, or a cave, or… somewhere in solitude and wait for eternity to finally end.

But was that what she actually wanted?

Was it worth sticking around? Was it worth the risk of being hurt again?

She didn't know.

Knowing that she'd never make the decision sitting alone in the guest bedroom, Bella got up and left the room, edging silently down the stairs. She could hear Peter and Charlotte talking softly on the patio and made her way out to them.

"Hey, Sugar," Charlotte greeted with a smile. "You look better."

"I feel it, thank you," Bella replied quietly. She sat down on the steps, turning to the side so she could look at them.

"So, are you gonna stick around for a while, B?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. We'll see."

"Um… Bella? Can I talk to you, please?"

Jasper was standing in the doorway, watching her cautiously.

"Sure. Talk."

"Alone?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to talk to me alone?" she clarified.

"It's fine, we'll leave you two to it," Pete said before Jasper could reply. "Please don't leave, B."

She nodded briefly to Pete, looking out over the acres of land as Jasper sat down beside her.

"I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you," he whispered. "I was out of order."

"Okay."

His brow furrowed. "That's it?"

"What else am I supposed to say? You admitted you were in the wrong, I accept your apology."

He was silent for a moment before he chuckled. When she glanced at him curiously, he explained.

"You need to understand, I spent over sixty years as Alice's husband. Not once in those sixty years did she ever accept an apology that easily."

Bella snorted. "I'm not Alice. I never will be Alice. If she's what you're looking for in a mate, you've clearly got the wrong girl."

"I know you're not her, Bella. I'm thankful you're not her. How do you feel about me being your mate?"

"You sound like a second rate therapist."

He laughed. "I've majored in psychology a few times."

"Why does that not surprise me?"

"Well, at the risk of sounding like a second rate therapist, how are you feeling about being my mate?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I don't really understand what a mate is or what the bond is that Peter was talking about."

"Do you remember telling me about Paul imprinting?"

She nodded.

"It's more or less the same thing. Peter is of the opinion that I didn't make the connection while we were in Forks because I had my inner vamp on such a tight leash. Now that I've… allowed the monster some breathing room so to speak, the bond formed the way it would normally. Of course, you wanted nothing to do with me then."

"Okay. I guess that means I have to stick around then, huh?"

He smiled. "It'd be good if you could but… I don't want to make you unhappy, Bella. If you can't find happiness here, then I wouldn't want you to stay for my sake."

She shook her head, her hair falling in her face. Pushing it away impatiently, she grumbled, "I care about you. I tried not too but it's not fucking working. I want you to be happy, and... "

"And…" he prompted.

"And I want you to be near me."

He raised a hand to caress her cheek gently. "I want you by my side too, sweetheart."

She leant into his touch before she could stop herself. He moved slightly, tilting her chin up, leaning forward. She was sure he was about to kiss her, when Peter cleared his throat awkwardly from the doorway.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but there's someone on the phone for you, Jazz."

Jasper sighed, but held his hand out for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Jasper?"

Bella froze when she heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"What do you want Alice?"

"I was searching for your future and it disappeared suddenly. I was worried."

He could practically hear the pout in her voice, and he rolled his eyes. "Why would you be searching for my future?"

"We're all moving home. I thought, well, I hoped you'd be coming too."

"Thanks, but no thanks," he snorted. "I'm just fine where I am."

"But… I thought you'd be coming. It won't be the same without you here."

"That's probably a good thing. I've found my mate, Alice. I'm not coming back to the Cullen's."

"That's fantastic news, Jazzy! We should come and see you before we head home! You're with Peter and Charlotte right?"

"That's not a good idea, Alice."

"What? Your mate is jealous because we were married? Tell her there's nothing to worry about, Jazzy, Edward and I are perfectly happy and in love. I pose no threat to her. Oh, please let us come, Jazz, please?"

"Alice -"

"Oh, pish, we're coming anyway. I'm sure your mate will love us, Jazz."

Before he could refute that, she put the phone down, leaving him with silence. He glanced at Bella, who was sitting a little away from him on the steps, leaning against Peter, who had a comforting arm around her.

"I'm going to have a bonfire," Bella muttered, glaring into the distance. She looked up at Peter. "See what you did by bringing me back here? You just killed two vampires."

Peter laughed. "You wanna burn em up, B, we'll help ya. I got no problem."

Bella looked at Jasper, who was watching her cautiously. Her gaze softened slightly at the guilty look on his face.

"I don't blame you. I know Alice does what Alice wants to do. Just… don't ask me to be nice to them, Jasper."

"I wouldn't ever dream of it," he assured her, his lips tilting up. "And… if you really want them dead… I won't help, but I won't try and convince you otherwise."

Bella sighed. "I won't kill em. I might not leave them whole, but I won't kill em."

* * *

Bella walked around the property, sticking to the boundary lines. She was itching to run, but knew it wasn't fair on the others. The impending doom of Alice and Edward's arrival was weighing heavily on her, especially since she knew now that the two would be here within a few hours.

Rather than call again, Alice had texted Jasper when they got near. She hadn't answered every time Jasper tried to call to convince her not to come.

"Bella? Bella!"

She turned to see a frantic Jasper running towards her. He swept her into his arms in a crushing hug that would have cracked a few bones had she still been human.

"What's wrong?" she asked, stroking his back.

"I thought you'd left," he replied, his face buried in her neck. "I thought you'd run."

"I told Peter I was going for a walk," she replied quietly. "I made sure to stay in the boundary lines so nobody would worry."

He sighed into her hair. "I'm sorry for freaking out," he murmured. "I just… with Alice and Edward… I guess I'm a little tense."

Bella snorted. "You've been coiled tighter than a fucking spring since she called you, Jasper. Do you miss her?"

"What?" He looked at her a little wide eyed. "No, of course not. I just… I'm worried about you seeing Edward, okay? He was your first love, he's stronger than I ever was -"

"Bullshit," she interrupted. "Edward may have been my first love, but he is not and has never been stronger than you. He's a whiny child who never had the chance to grow up. He lives in a dream world where only his opinion counts. You can't compare yourself to him, because there is no comparison, Jasper. You're the better man without even trying."

"Bella…" He trailed off, pulling away from her so he could look at her. Without another word, he pressed his lips to hers, his hand moving up rest in her hair as the other moved down to rest on her ass.

She kissed him back immediately, sucking his lower lip into her mouth before biting lightly. When he moaned, she smirked against his lips before she opened them slightly to allow his tongue entrance. He pulled her closer still even as he pushed her back against a tree.

"Jay," she moaned as he trailed kisses across her jaw and down her neck, nipping at the hard skin on her collarbone.

"I've never been called Jay before," he murmured. "I like it."

She lost track of time as they kissed, but Peter's voice broke the silence around them and they parted reluctantly.

"Bella? Jasper?"

"We're over here, Pete," Jasper called, as they walked back towards the house, holding hands.

Peter looked over the two of them with a knowing smirk. "Uh, huh. Do any of my tree's need replacing?"

"What do you want, fucking cock-blocker?" Bella asked, raising her eyebrow at him.

Peter howled with laughter, shaking his head at her. "You are fantastic and I love you. The terrible twosome will be here in a few minutes. I thought you'd rather be comfortable when they get here instead of screwing against a tree."

"You thought correctly," Bella admitted. "You're forgiven. Where's Char?"

She popped her head out of the back door. "Here, Sugar, what's up?"

"Just checking you're around," Bella replied as they all sat down on the porch. "I've a feeling if anyone can talk me out of murder, it's probably going to be you."

Charlotte snorted. "For those two? I'll help you build the fire."

"Good Lord, don't tempt me."

They listened as a car pulled up the driveway, then as footsteps approached the house. Knocking sounded on the door but they ignored it. Bella was still holding a futile hope that they'd give up and go away.

"Anyone home?"

Her entire body clenched when she heard Alice's voice, and she turned her head slightly just in time to see the two of them walk around the back of the house.

"Just say the word, B, and I'll get the wood," Peter offered, not attempting to keep his voice down.

"I'll find a lighter," Charlotte offered, smirking.

Jasper sent them both a warning look before he stroked Bella's hand comfortingly. He was sitting in front of her and had yet to turn and greet the invaders.

"Are you okay, Baby?"

Bella nodded. She looked back over his shoulder to where Alice and Edward stood frozen, staring at her in shock.

"D'ya think if they stand there long enough, we'll be able to make snow men out of them in the winter?" she asked, glancing at Peter.

He snorted. "We could, then we could melt them with a blowtorch."

"If they're still at my house in the winter, they'll need to be scared of more than a blowtorch," Charlotte muttered, staring at the two with dislike.

Bella laughed, rolling her eyes at Jasper who seemed to relax at the sound.

"Bella?"

"Nope."

Edward frowned, taking a step closer. "Bella, how are you -"

"I told you nope," Bella replied with a sneer. "You don't get to talk to me. Talk to Jasper, he's who you came to visit."

"But Bella," Alice whined.

"Nope."

Peter and Charlotte chuckled.

Edward seemed to remember his manners then, and said, "Jasper, Charlotte, Peter, it's good to see the three of you."

"Nope," chimed Peter and Charlotte together, before they along with Bella fell back into laughter. Jasper shook his head at them but couldn't stop himself from chuckling.

"Now, really, this is ridiculous," Edward complained.

Jasper finally turned to look at him, tilting his head slightly. Shaking his hair out of his face, he replied, "Nope."


End file.
